1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly, to a connector capable of electrically connecting printed circuit boards (PCBs) for a backlight unit to one another without using soldering, and a chassis for mounting the PCBs thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Development of the electronic device industry has led to development of various display devices. Such development has also brought about development of image devices, computers and mobile telecommunication terminals using the display devices. A liquid crystal display (LCD) has emerged in line with this trend and been highlighted as a display for monitors and mobile telecommunication terminals.
Recently as a light source for illuminating the LCD, a backlight unit using a light emitting diode (LED) has been suggested. The LED emits light using luminous phenomenon occurring when a voltage is applied to a semiconductor. The LED is smaller in size and longer in useful life than a conventional light source. Also, the LED is high in energy efficiency due to direct conversion of electrical energy into light energy and low in operational voltage. Therefore, the LED with these advantages is employed as a light source for an LCD backlight module.
This LED backlight unit is obtained generally by mounting a plurality of LEDs on a printed circuit board (PCB). A greater size of the display requires a greater number of LEDs and accordingly a greater size of the PCB for mounting the LEDs thereon.
However, in a case where all the LEDs are mounted on one PCB, a defect in only one of the LEDs necessitates replacement of the PCB. Also, the PCB is prone to warping with increase in size thereof, thus requiring a number of PCBs to be connected together.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional connector connecting PCBs for a backlight unit.
Referring to FIG. 1, to electrically connect two PCBs 18s and 18b, female and male connectors are attached on the PCBs, respectively by a surface mount technology (SMT) and then the connectors are connected to each other.
Here, soldering is essentially required when the female and male connectors connected to circuits of the PCBs are attached on the respective PCBs by the SMT. However, the soldering for connecting the PCBs and connectors 12 entail several problems.
That is, the soldering in the LED BLU requiring electrical connection between the PCBs can be hardly carried out in a clean room, and also increases costs and processes.
Moreover, when PCB terminals are connected by attaching the connectors on the respective PCBs, the connectors have a height much greater than a height of domes of the LEDs mounted on the PCBs, thereby blocking a path of light.